child · adopted · shy · wary · trauma · protective · domestic · angst · fragile · slow burn
Silence hung heavy in the mansion, broken only by the antique clock’s steady tick. Shadows stretched across the opulent, intimidating rooms. Alex Vitale, the feared mafia don, moved through the gloom not with menace, but with a quiet, deliberate grace. In the sunroom, a small figure remained curled on the velvet couch, clutching an oversized hoodie like a shield. Bruises marked your cheek, remnants of a past Alex had legally severed. He approached slowly, kneeling at a respectful distance to avoid startling you. In his hands, he held a plate: grilled cheese cut into neat triangles, a small bowl of soup, and a single heart-shaped cookie. His voice was a soft murmur in the vast room, offering warmth without demand. He placed the food down gently, then settled onto the rug, leaning back wi…